6 Scuba Diving Tips for Nervous Divers.

Scuba diving can be exciting yet intimidating to the new diver. When I began diving, I was extremely nervous before each dive, I struggled to control my breathing, and suffered from mild panic attacks when entering the water.

Nervousness' is typical for newcomers to scuba diving and the following six recommendations will decrease your nervousness and make your scuba diving experience as fun as it can be.

1. The first step in the entire process is to find a reputable dive store that will listen to your fears and, most importantly, that you will feel safe with. Use Google reviews to research and find a reliable dive shop in your area. A good dive operator will have knowledgeable staff, offer help and advice, check gear, and share local knowledge, making the day diving an enjoyable, exciting, and social experience.
   
   
2. Buy your own diving gear, it will make you feel much more comfortable and confident over renting gear. Don't cut corners on your scuba gear, get the best you can as it will last a long time and better-quality equipment will not only make you feel more comfortable in the water, but it will improve your air consumption and help you control your buoyancy. You should buy gear that you can grow into as you continue to expand your diving skills and abilities.
   Go with the guidance of the dive shop that you are looking to dive with to help you choose the gear that is right for you and your needs.
   
   
3. Do your PADI Advanced Course as soon as possible after completing your open water. The Advanced Course will give you five more dives under the supervision of a PADI Instructor. During the course you will practice navigation and buoyancy, try deep diving, improve your air consumption dramatically and help address many of those nervous feelings. You will be amazed how much help the Advanced course will be to you.
4. It is also essential to trust your dive buddy. In the end, they are who you will be relying on. Explain to them your issues be they air consumption, buoyancy control or whatever, so your buddy can help you during the dive. Remember your buddy was also once a new diver, so they will understand your issues. Talk to your buddy about going for another dive with them, develop a solid bond between you and your buddy so that you are a steady buddy pair.
   
   
5. Remember to listen carefully to the dive briefing. Be aware of what the dive site is, where you are going, the route you are taking, and what you might encounter. Be familiar with how to recognize your buddy, what to do if you get separated. Be aware of the estimated dive time and what will trigger the turn-around. Do not be afraid to ask questions and remember that there is no such thing as a stupid question when it comes to scuba diving. Remember that knowledge reduces anxiety.
   
   
6. Breathe normally—one of the most common mistakes new divers make is not to breathe normally while underwater. Skip breathing will cause carbon dioxide to build up which will increase nervous reactions. The best way is to breathe deeply and slowly, listen to your breathing and relax. This will not only help overcome your nervousness but increase the enjoyment of the scuba diving activity.

Although I started diving as an incredibly nervous newbie, I soon overcame these negative feelings. I hope these simple tips help you as much as they helped me. Over the past 30 years I have dived all over the world and had many fantastic experiences. I'm ecstatic that I carried on and managed to conquer my nervousness.

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